Method of subdividing blocks or ingots of carbid.



PATENTED FEB. 3, 1903.

' J. SCALES. METHOD OF SUBDIVIDING BLOCKS 0R INGOTS OF QARBID.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

W 6 7 5 imam hmmhllllhlmlllllll\lmllllllllllllllllllllli Falls, in the county of 7 UNIT D "STATES,

A T OFFICE.

' JOSEPH SCALES, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNIGN CARBIDE COMPANY,A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

METHOD OF S UBDIYIDING BLOCKS cameo-recs CARBID.

SPECIFICATION'fQrnIing part of Letters Patent No. 719,882, dated February 3, 1903.

- Application new 6, 1902. SerialNomazn. on model) i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH SCALES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Subdividing Blocks or Ingots of Oarbid, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method for the subdivision of blocks or ingots of those carbids which react with water, and particularly toa method for detaching large pieces of calcium carbid from the blocks or ingots formed in carbid-furnaces.

In electric furnaces of the type shown in United States Patent No. 597,880, 'issued Jannary 25, 1898, to William Smith Horry, the

formation of the carbid is continuous and the product isobtained in the furnace asa block or ingot of great size and weight. In order to remove the carbid from the furnace it is necessary that it be subdivided. This is accomplished according to my invention inthe following manner: One or more holes .are drilled or bored into the body of the block or ingot while it is still in a highly-heated state,-

and at the same time water or steam is injected into the cavity, preferably through the drill, and into contact with the carbid. The cutting-surface of the drill is thereby preserved, and the drilling or boring operation is facilitated by the local disintegration of the carbid due to the reaction therewith of the injected water or steam. A wedge may then be driven into the hole or holes made by the drill and a section of the desired size thereby broken ofi from the main block, the line of fracture passing through the drillhole.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the block of carbid and a portion of the drill in vertical section, water being supplied through the hollow drill; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the block of carbid in vertical section, showing water injected into the bore-hole at one side of the drill.-

The drill employed may be of any well-.

known or suitable construction. That shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a standard 1, having at its upper end a head 2, within which is a horizontally-threaded passage. Through ,thehead 2 passes a threaded shaft 3, which constitutes the stem of the drill and carries atits forward end a cutting-bit 4. The drill is-simultaneously rotated and driven forward by a bevel-gear 5, jo'urnaled loosely on the threaded shaft 3, but havinga spline 6, which engages a longitudinal groove 7 in the shaft. The stem 3 of the drill shown in Fig. 1 has a central passage 8, to and through which water is delivered by a flexible hose 9, leading from a pump 10. In the construction shown in Fig. 2 water is delivered into the borehole at one side of the drill by a nozzle 11, fed by hose 9 and pump 10. While the drill shown is one using a rotary or boring bit, a drill with a reciprocating bit may be emproduce a recess or hole in the block to be subdivided.

Although the operation is best accomplished by the coincident use, as above described, of adrill and injected steam or water, it'may be effected by a jet of steam or water alonewithont the use of the drill or other mechanical appliance. In this case the local disintegration above referred tois relied upon to form -.a cavity or opening into which a wedge maybe driven. t I claim' 1. The method of subdividing blocks or ingots of those 'carbids which react with water,

which consists in drilling the block, simultaneously inj eating water or steam into the cavity through the drill, and then breaking the block through said cavity.

4. The method of discharging carbid from 70 ployed or any mechanical device which will electric furnaces; which consists in drilling a" block or ingot of carbid while still retained within the furnace, simultaneously injectingsteam or water into the cavity formed by the drill,and then breaking the block through said cavity.

5. The method of discharging carbid mm electric furnaces, which consists in drillin'ga block or ingot of carbid while still retained within. the furnace, simultaneoixslyinjecting steam or water into the cavity through the drill, and then breaking the block' through 7. The method of silbdividing blocks or ingots' of materials which react with water,

My formed by the drill, and then-breaking the block through said cavity. I

of materials which react with water,

which consists in subjecting a block or ingot to the action of a jet'of steam or water to form" -'a cavity therein an'd thenjbreaking the block through said cavity. v r

v Intestimony .where'oflafiix' rhysignature inpresence of'two witnesses.

JOSEPH SCALES.

Vitnesses: I

GEO. H. DANFORTH, E. F. PRICE.

which'consists in drilling the block, sir'nultaneously injecting water or steam into the cav- I 8 .The method of subdividing-blocks o'rih- 'gots 

